Help me
by Killer Ladybug
Summary: Ariadne's boyfriend becomes abusive. Saito offers her a way out but will she take it and if so where will it lead? this as my usual is a Cobb/Ariadne. Don't like don't read.
1. Chapter 1

(I own nothing!)

I walked along the snowy street, head down, watching the families laugh and sing carols, the hobos freeze to death and the flasher that just flashed a cop and was now face first on the ground. I would rather be any one of them, anyone, just not me.

I could feel my bones grating, my muscles screaming, and my head throbbing. But it didn't matter. I just kept walking along the sidewalk trying to pull the t-shirt closer to me, trying to stop the escaping warmth.

He had hit me again. And again. And again. What happened? He had been so different when we started dating. And now the thought that they were the same person was impossible to believe. But they were and the bruises on my stomach were proof of that fact. At least he hadn't broken any of my bones this time. I mentally assessed the damage: bruising on my stomach and back, three cracked ribs, pain in my head from hitting it on the coffee table, more bruising on my arms, legs and the left side of my face.

I stopped by a street vendor and bought a pair of large sunglasses, to cover the bruising on my face, with some change left over in my pocket. My overly conservative clothes hid the rest.

I tried to focus on happier days. The days I spent with the dream team. The hours I would spend in that big old warehouse watching Arthur and Eames argue, Yusuf nearly cry and threatening sedatives that would do unthinkable things when one of them knocked over one of his precious chemicals, Cobb trying to play referee, and Saito with a look on his face that tells he's wondering what was slipped into his coffee that he would hire us, or when we would argue over what to order off the take-out menu, or when Cobb would tell me good job on my work. It had been a year since then, but it felt like a decade.

The snow turns to sleet and it soaks through my t-shirt to my bones. I spot an awning to duck under but one look from a doorman tells me that I'm unwelcome. I turn and cross the street acting as if the thought of soiling their shelter with my presence had never crossed my mind. I walk till I'm in the better part of town. The cars on the street use their tires to splash me in a show of distaste for anyone who didn't spend fifty dollars on their outfit.

I was soaked and cold, my lips looking like I had eaten a thousand raspberry popsicles and my insides feeling like I had.

Then a sleek black limo slows down next to me and the back window rolls down.

"I'm not for sale." I wonder who could think I was a hooker in my get up, an old t-shirt and faded jeans, but I kept my eyes forward refusing to look at the passenger. "I don't do 'that' kind of work."

"I know exactly what kind of work you do, Ms. Bishop." I stop dead at the voice.

"What do you want, Mr. Saito?" I ask as the window rolls up. Must not have wanted anything that important, but then the door clicked open and the man inside offered me his hand.

"I would like to talk business, but not here. Too many ears to overhear us." I think for a second, but the chance of going back into the dream world is too strong and the next thing I know I'm sitting in the back of the limo being whisked off to some unknown location.

"I'm afraid that where we are going needs to remain a secret." I nod.

"I can keep a secret."

"I know, but you're the one we're keeping it from." Then I feel a prick in the back of my neck. Before I can call him any offensive names, I'm becoming one with the seat cushion.

I wake up to see Saito sitting across from me, eating something that smells really good. I see him motion to someone behind me and a plate of food is placed in front of me. I slowly lift the fork to my mouth half afraid of passing out from them lacing it with more drugs. Saito smiled.

I'm in a small room, the walls are mostly panels except for the far ends, and the room is shaped like a rectangle, but what strikes me is how incredibly wrong the room feels.

"Ms. Bishop, may I tell you a story?" He stops eating and looks at me. I nod, taking a bite out if something that resembles fish.

"When I was fifteen I had a sister, she was the gentlest woman in the world, and she could light up the room with a single smile." His eyes went misty and I could tell he was looking at his sister and not me. "But then something bad happened. She fell in love with a boy." Here he paused.

"How is that a bad thing?" His eyes snapped back to mine.

"He was a prince at first, her perfect 'knight in shining armor' she would call him." Saito spat.

"What happened?" I knew this story wasn't going to have a happily ever after.

"He began to hit her. No one knew at first but she began to act strange, not as happy, and more secretive. One day I came over for a surprise visit and the house was a wreck and she just sat in the middle of the floor covered in blood, surrounded by shattered glass and dry wall. I asked her to leave him, but she refused and said that what happened was her fault in the first place."

I sat there as he fought to control his rage.

"Then it stopped. They got married and were happy but I watched for any signs. And then one day I was coming back from a meeting in Hong Kong when I got the news. My sister was dead, beaten to death by her husband. The autopsy showed that her skull had been bashed in with a lamp and there were signs that she had been abused." I saw Saito start to shake but this time not from rage, but from pain. "I missed them. Every single sign that said 'get her out' I missed. And my sister died because I didn't stop it."

I sat there in silence as the pain in his words stabbed at my heart.

"I'm sorry for your loss." It was all I could say, I mean what do you say to news like that?

"I vowed that I would never overlook something like that ever again, which is why I'm here."

"What?" I tried to sound dumb.

"Please don't insult my intelligence, Ms. Bishop. You know as to what I'm referring."

"I'm not sure I do."

"I know that your boyfriend has been hitting you."

"No, he hasn't." Saito made a motion much like the one he made for someone to bring me food, only this time they brought a laptop. He set the laptop on the table and hit a button, turning the screen to face me. It was a video from a surveillance camera. It looked straight in to my living room.

"You have no right to spy on me." I snarl as two figures came into view, well, one was thrown into view. I watched as my head smacked hard against the coffee table, the man on screen was saying something and then he started kicking me in the stomach. I winced at the moment that I knew the first rib had cracked.

He closed the lid and the same person took away the laptop.

"Ariadne, I lost my sister because of my negligence. Please let me help you."

"It won't work he'll just come after me again and things will get worse." I sound pitiful but I won't let someone else get dragged into this.

"He won't find you, when I don't want someone found, they won't be."

"He'll kill you."

"I can handle myself."

"He'll-" But he cut me off.

"Ariadne, do you really want to go back to that house tonight, go back to him?" I remain silent. He's right, I don't want to go back. I don't want to see him ever again. But could I really do this?

"Please let me help you." I looked into his eyes and saw what he wanted. He wanted his sister back. He wanted to repent for his mistake. He needed this.

I don't know why I said what I said next but I did.

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

(I own nothing!)

Saito looks at me with the hopeful eyes of a man who has a chance to right a haunting wrong. But then his eyes are back to the usual 'all business' look, still hidden under that exterior is the glimmer.

"I wish I could escort you on your journey, but I have some important business to attend to." Saito nods to the same faceless people as the table is carried out with my now empty plate. The panels are pushed back and I realize that the room isn't a room, it's a cabin, as in I'm on a plane and the engines are starting and I don't have a fucking clue where it's taking me.

"Wait! What's going on?" Saito turns to look back at me from the stairs leading away from the plane.

"If there is anything you require from your apartment, tell one of the staff and it will be sent to you when you arrive."

"When I get where? That doesn't answer my question!" I'm beginning to panic. What the hell does he think he is doing?

"Almost all battered women will go back to their abusers. So the best way to make sure that doesn't happen is to make sure that you're nowhere near him. You agreed to let me help you so we do things my way." I stare at him.

"You've been planning this, haven't you?" He merely nods, with a small smug smirk, and leaves the plane.

I buckle up as the plane begins to move. What I am doing trusting a man I don't really know that well, I'm not sure but as the wheels leave the ground and the plane tips, I know that it is far too late to change my mind. I watch as the world I know turns into a patchwork quilt beneath me. Then the world turns white as the clouds envelope me, wrapping me up in a soft embrace.

"Miss?" I turn to see a stewardess with a kind face standing there with a towel. "I drew you a bath and put some lavender in it." I stand and follow her to the surprisingly not microscopic bathroom. It is a simple bathroom, but the tub of warm water in the corner fills the air with warmth that feels good against my cold and battered skin.

"If you would please place your clothes in the hamper outside the door, I can put them in the wash." She turned and left. I stare at the swirling water.

I slowly undress, careful of agitating any of my wounds, and set the clothes outside. I examine myself in the mirror and sigh. The bruising is bad and will take at least a week before they even start to fade from the ugly black they are now.

I slip into the warm water. It is hot but it feels good against my sore muscles. I submerge, holding my breath before my body forces my head back to the surface.

'Almost all battered women will go back to their abusers.' Saito's words echo in my head. I think about it as I wash gently to avoid screaming in pain, and rinse my hair. Definitely some serious food for thought. I sit there letting the water lap at me, as my mind turns the problem over in my head. Would I be one of those 'almost all'? Then the memory of Jake throwing me into the coffee table comes into view. No, I wouldn't be. If I were going to go back there, they would have to take me in a body bag.

Finally the bath water becomes too cold and I pull myself out of the best thing to happen this month. I step outside wrapping myself in a warmed towel. There on the sink counter is a rather fluffy-looking bathrobe and on it is a note. Taped to the note is a key.

_Last room on the left._

_9._

I dry myself off as I read the letter. The same number is printed on the key. Pulling on the bathrobe, I walk down the hall until I come to the end of it, stopping at the last door. I lift the key to check the number. Yep, this is it.

I slide the key into the lock and the door pops open. Inside is a queen-sized bed with what looks like silk sheets. The walls are painted a beautiful pastel violet, a stark contrast to the dark violet sheets. And I don't think that even my mathematics teacher could count all of the pillows. I roll my eyes. Leave it to Saito to go all out. Or in his words 'be neater'.

I fall onto the bed as a wave of tiredness hits me full force and all the strength left in me went on holiday. I curl into the palace of pillows, warm sheets and the scent of milk and honey. The cold that had come back after the bath is finally gone, the pain in my body wanes, and the aching in my feet subsides. I can barely raise my hand to the chain on my neck before sleep claims to my tired and beaten body.

(Somewhere in Paris)

Saito looks at his cell phone as it had a seizure letting him know that someone was trying to contact him. The number on the screen is one he learned only a few months ago when it contacted him with the disturbing news. He waves off the masseuse and flips open the phone.

"Hello. Yes. I have removed her from the situation. He is being…dealt with. I'm taking her somewhere safe till I am sure that no more harm will be done. Where? I told you, somewhere safe. You are a smart and caring man, she is lucky to have you. Yes, I know that doesn't answer your question. Let's just say that she'll be safer there than anywhere else in the world. Goodnight." Saito flips the phone shut.

Motioning the masseuse back over, he smiles. That man really loves her too much.


	3. Chapter 3

(I own nothing!)

I groan at the pain radiating through my body. Why didn't I take pain pills before going to bed? I groan. And why the hell was my bed moving? I slide open an eye looking around. I jerk up straight.

This isn't my bed. This isn't my room. Which means, this isn't my house.

I groan again.

Could this morning get any worse?

The door to the room clicks open as a woman walks in with a tray. I scream. She jumps.

"Miss Bishop, are you okay? I didn't mean to startle you! Mr. Saito said to make sure you ate breakfast." Mr. Saito? The memories of the night before float into the front of my mind.

Oh.

"Sorry, just a little disoriented." I smile at her as she sets the tray on the bedside table.

"It's quite all right, Miss Bishop." Her smile is sweet and gentle. "I laid out your clothes on the dresser. And we'll be landing in an hour." She turns to leave. "Is there anything else you require?"

"Where are we landing?"

"LAX airport." And with that she leaves me.

LA, huh? I haven't been there since… I ignore the rising memories in favor of breakfast. As I settle the tray on my lap, pain smashes me upside the head with a sledgehammer.

I clutch my head trying to hold the brain matter and skull fragments in place. I really wish I had remembered to ask her for pain medication. I shift so that if I pass out I won't fall flat on my face on the floor. Then a rattling from the tray draws my attention. There in a little bottle is the Holy Grail.

I pop open the bottle of Vicadin and slow two pills dry. Much better.

I dig into the best breakfast I've eaten since I don't remember when.

(1432 Maple Street.)

Dom Cobb looks out the window of his car as he drives Phillipa to her last day of school. Christmas is in a month and he is looking forward to spending it with his kids.

'I wonder what Ariadne's doing?' He blinks. He hadn't thought about her since he left the airport. Her smile floats across his vision. She is a sweet girl. No… she is a sweet woman.

'Since when do I think of her as a woman?'

'Since it became an important fact.' His subconscious says.

'Why is it important?' Cobb could practically hear his subconscious face-palm.

I look out the window as we land. The sky is dark and rainy. Perfect. I tug at the skirt, shifting it this way and that. The woman who took my clothes lied, and on Saito's orders, disposed of them and gave me a coat, a long sleeve shirt, a scarf, unmentionables, and, of course, that damn skirt. I hate skirts.

I put my thoughts of how to maliciously destroy the wretched skirt aside as the wheels hit the pavement and the plane slows to a stop. I grab my bags, bid goodbye to the pilot and walk off of the plane. I breathe in deeply. Mm, non-stale air.

The walk out of the airport is tedious at best, everyone having somewhere to be and apparently only five seconds to get there. Finally I walk out the other side.

Calling a taxi is like cutting off a diseased limb without any anesthesia, you don't want to and the experience will be excruciating but you have to anyway. When one finally decides to stop and let me in, I'm on my way. I don't really know where I'm headed, just that I had been given a business card with an address and some change.

I step out of the car and onto the sidewalk outside of a five-star hotel. Yep, this was the address. I walk inside, the revolving door stopping me from changing my mind. The front desk is more welcoming than the man behind it. He's in his fifties, balding, bares a striking resemblance to Scrooge and looks like he has the same temperament.

I approach the desk like one would the gallows, with much the same feeling.

"Ah….Hello? My name's Ariadne Bishop… I would like to-" But he cuts me off.

"Mr. Saito said that you'd be coming. Here's your key, you're on the top floor. Call if there is anything you need." He turns back to his paper. The tone in his voice implied that I shouldn't need anything if I want to stay here peacefully. I snatch up the key and head for the elevator.

It's almost identical to the one in Cobb's dream. I stare at the grating as the lift slowly creeps up to the top floor.

The top floor is as impressive as the twelve that came before it, if not more so. The walls are covered in gold-scrolled wallpaper and the floor is a black marble; it's clean and well kept.

The apartment door is red, and gold-plated brass numbers proclaim it to be apartment 202. I slide in the key and turn the handle. Nothing. The door remains stubbornly locked. I scowl and jiggle the handle.

"Stupid door." I mutter glaring at it, resisting the urge to kick it. I put all my weight on it. Suddenly the door pops open and I tumble into the room head first.

"Ow!" I stand, rubbing my abused tailbone. It's not a hotel room… it's the penthouse. It's huge. Three rooms with hard wood floors and the walls are painted a soft blue. There's a small kitchen tucked away in the corner, a living room with overstuffed chairs, a couch, TV and sound system. The bed room has a king-sized bed, night stand, a book shelf teeming with books, a dresser, and a walk-in closet. So this was my home now. It was nicer than the house I shared with him… The memories of all I left behind badger me as I open the Chinese takeout containers on the counter. Saito really was pulling out all the stops. I need to go shopping for the things one can't buy off a takeout menu. Then I remember I have no money. Shit. Guess I'll have to pick up a newspaper tomorrow and look for a job.

I pick up the envelope on the counter and open it. My name is scrawled on the front in Saito's handwriting. Out falls a credit card and a letter.

I pick up the card. No limit and pre-paid. Saito really needs to learn there have to be limits. I read the letter.

_Miss Bishop,_

_I know that you will think this is a bit much. _Yep, he still had that creepy way of knowing what was going on in people's heads. It made him both a great business man and really annoying.

_So I have arranged a job for you. Unfortunately, your boyfriend, and I use this term in its most vague sense, has yet to be properly taken care of, so I can't hire you to work at one of my companies. But I would like you to consider the job I have lined up for you. It is a simple one. The address is 1432 Maple Street. You have an interview there on Monday. Don't be late._

_Saito._

I stared at the letter. A job, huh?


	4. Chapter 4

(I own nothing!)

My head pops up from the mountain of pillows. Wha? Oh. There was knocking on the door. Standing, I walk over to it and open it.

"You stupid bitch! Did you think you could just leave?" I felt two large hands wrap around my throat, the image of my boyfriend swimming in my view as my lungs scream for air.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you?" My body is slammed against the door and my vision begins to dim.

"You can't escape me." My world goes black.

I leap out of bed in my hurry to get away. My legs tangle in the sheets and I fall onto the comforter. I'm not in the doorway. I'm in my room. He's not here.

I laugh.

"He's not here." I feel joy at the thought.

"He's not here!" I'm laughing so hard tears roll down my face.

"HE'S NOT HERE!"

Then I hear a knock and my blood runs cold. Please no.

I stand and walk to the door. If I can get past him, I can get to one of the other floors and get help. I grab a small statue off of a table as a weapon. I thank my lucky stars that I wore a t-shirt and boxers to bed instead of a nightgown.

I creep towards the door, afraid it might open. I peer through the peephole and standing there on the other side is… a little old lady in a maid uniform holding a pile of towels and pulling a cart.

I open the door.

"Hi." I don't have any other clue as to what to say.

"Hello. My name is Hilda." Her smile is warm and I can't help but smile back. "You must be Ariadne. Mr. Saito told me you were coming." I briefly wonder if he just hired a blimp and sent it around town with the words 'Ariadne Bishop is coming.' I wouldn't have put it past him if my being here wasn't supposed to be a secret.

"Who were you expecting?" I turn around to look at her realizing that she had already moved into the penthouse.

"What?" She smiles at me as she moves into my room and makes the bed.

"You were surprised to see me standing on the other side of the door. So you were expecting someone other than me to be on the other side of that door. You were also scared and since I haven't even tried to scare you, I either forgot my make-up this morning or I wasn't the one you were expecting. So, who were you expecting?"

"It's not important." I examine my shirt, playing with the hem.

"Your eyes tell me different." I stare at the knowing look on her wrinkled face.

"I thought it was someone I never want to see again." She snorts.

"I figured out that much. Why would he be here?" I look at her as she snaps the bed sheet taut across the bed.

"How did you know it was a man?" She smirked, before pulling out a quarter and bouncing it on the sheet.

"I didn't. But I'm guessing he's the same one who gave you those bruises?" I look down. My PJ's didn't cover the bruising, leaving it bare for the world to see. I want out of there and fast.

I turn away heading to the kitchen, but I can feel her eyes following me. Pulling out a leftover container from fridge I munch on a piece of beef. She appears in the doorway arms crossed.

"Well that answers that question." Look up at her. Her smile has a sad look about it now.

"I don't want your pity." I snap. I have had one too many people look at me like that, like it was my fault, they thought I was dependent on him, that I was mentally damaged to stay with him. Like I was less than them, that I needed help, that they were experts on what I was going through, and that if I just listened to them everything would magically get better.

"I wasn't offering it." I felt my hackles lower at the snap of her voice, leaving no doubt that she meant what she said.

"So who did this?" My hackles stood on end. "Father? Brother? Boyfriend? Ah, boyfriend it is." I glare at her; this isn't how I want to spend my morning. I didn't know how I would have spent it, but this definitely isn't it. I turn back to my cold Chinese and pretend she isn't there, staring at me.

"Let's have a look." I give a squeal as a pair of hands grabs my shirt pulling it over my head. I try to snatch it back, but she holds it out of reach.

"We can do this the hard way, or the harder way." I sit still and let her poke and prod me. Her eyes are hard as her hands map out the damage. She gives a solemn nod and then hands me back my shirt.

"You'll be fine. He really did a number on you." I snort.

"I've had worse." Hilda glares, but it's not aimed at me, it's pointed at the bruises now covered again by my shirt.

"It's odd," I look up at her face. "I worked as a doctor on a naval ship for thirty years, I fought wars and watched my men, my friends, die. But I never saw just how cruel humans can be till I started working at a hospital for abused women and children…" Her eyes go misty at the memories. I wonder what she saw and what she had done in her life, before she spent her days making people's beds. Suddenly her eyes snap back into focus.

"Go take a bath and then you can go for a walk around the city." I stare at her. She reminds me of my grandmother. Sweet and not one to be argued with, not that I have the energy to even if I wanted to.

I stalk into the bathroom trying not to look at the black and purple splotches that mark my skin. But my eyes are drawn to a patch of skin on my stomach. It is on the left side just above the hip.

I trace the length of it with my finger feeling the rough skin of the scar tissue. The memory of how I got it rises up like the bile in my throat. I rush to the toilet and vomit. I flush the toilet and slump against the tub, an arm resting over my eyes, as I will the sick feeling in my gut to go away.

I turn on the water to as hot as it can go. I can't get rid of the scar; the doctor told me that it would always be there. It is a reminder, that he would always be a part of my past.

I glance up at the chain around my neck and the two bands of gold hanging from it.

But maybe he wouldn't be a part of my future.


	5. Chapter 5

(I own nothing!)

I walk about LA. It's different than Paris. Not in a bad way or even a good way. It's just different.

I stop to have lunch in a little café and read a book. I do a little window shopping but I don't buy anything. I had found out earlier that morning that Saito had someone fill the closet with clothes, no skirts thank God, and the fridge with food. I fingered the scarf around my neck. It was one of the twenty or so in the closet. It was thicker than I usually wear, but warm against the cold wind beating my face.

I don't need to buy groceries or clothes or anything else for that matter, but I still carry the credit card in my pocket just in case.

As the sun sets and the life turns from day to night, I wander into a fair. It's one of the older ones, but the beauty of it astounds me. It's like being in another world. The lights, the sounds, the smells, and the sheer essence consume me.

I close my eyes as the world spins and whirls, lights becoming comets with great fiery tails and shapes warping into unrecognizable whimsical creatures.

I stand there watching the people walk about off in their own worlds, each unique yet if you don't look closely they're just the same as the rest. One by one the lights go out and the shapes fade to black, the lives vanishing into the dark of the night.

Then the world stops and all is quiet.

The spell is broken, but the memory remains.

But the memory of what exactly I wasn't sure, and that was an answer I don't think I'll ever find.

I walk back to the hotel. The night air is cold and nips at my skin leaving chill bumps. I wrap the coat tighter around me. The ride up to my room is quiet except for a stop to let someone else on.

The elevator dings on my floor and the doors open. I exit and walk towards my arch nemesis… the evil penthouse door.

Queue western music and sunrise.

I wrap my hand around the doorknob and twist.

Nope, still hates me.

I groan and jiggle the handle.

Then I step back and do what my dad taught me to do. Glare and cuss at it till it gives up.

"Check out the death glare." I turn. Standing in the elevator is a man. He's about my age. His hair is short and spiky, the tips a bright green, his clothes are like every other boy's, a band T and jeans.

"The door giving you trouble?" I nod. Who is he? No one else lives up on this floor. And I think Saito would have mentioned a roommate.

"Here, the door's a little temperamental. You just need a little finesse," He bangs the door three times and turns the handle. The door pops open. "And open sesame."

He smiles at me. It's a nice smile, but then again, so was Jake's.

"You're new here." I nod, walking into the penthouse. "Where are you from?" Should I answer? Ah, hell, it's not like I'm the only girl from France in New York.

"Paris." I hear him enter after me. What is he doing?

"What's your name?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you…" I freeze at the click of a switchblade and the feel of cold steel against my throat.

He couldn't have found me yet. A tear runs down my cheek. But the man holding the knife fits the bill of every one of Jake's friends. Shit.

"Now what's a fancy girl from Paris doing in L.A., hmm?" I tense as his hand strokes my arm. He isn't one of Jake's friends, but I didn't feel relieved. "I bet you brought lots of fancy stuff back. Let's take a look, shall we?" I feel his hand brush the skin of my stomach where my shirt has ridden up. I wince as he rubs a hand over the bruise.

I'm going to die… or worse.

Another tear runs down my cheek.

"Let her go."

I whimper in pain and fear, as he spins me around to face the door, keeping me between him and whoever is there.

Hilda, in all her uniformed glory, is standing in the doorway, holding a rifle trained on my head.

"Let her go." Her voice is harsh, cold, and level, so different from the warm one I had heard this morning.

"I don't think that you're in a position to be making demands." The knife tightens against my throat. "Don't you think that's too big a gun for a little old hag like you?"

"This gun suits me just fine. I won't give you another warning. Now let her go." He snarls and Hilda cocks the gun. "Stand still, darling."

"What are you going to do, Hag?" The sneer in his voice slides against my ear and I shudder.

"I'm going to put a bullet between your beady little eyes." The smile on her face is sweet, syrupy and deadly. "You see, you're holding a girl who's very important to an extremely powerful man."

"What is she, his mistress or something?" I gag at the thought and am a little put out.

"No, but she is more important than your pathetic life."

"So I have a hostage situation."

"No, you have me aiming a gun at your head as you dance on my last nerve." She closes an eye as she takes aim. "Just hold very still, dear."

I could feel their eyes dueling, willing the other to back down.

"She's not worth this." He spits. And just like that he throws me at Hilda, who moves to catch me, as the slime ball runs out the door.

"Are you alright, dear?" All I can do is nod dumbly at the warm smile on her face as she death glares at the door. "I'll be sure to tell security not to let him in."

"H-how?" I wince at the pitch of my voice.

"I told you I used to be in the Navy. I wasn't going to shoot you." She smiles at me, as her hands feel my neck for any damage.

"What are you doing with a gun in the first place?" I ask as I finally find my normal voice.

"What I didn't tell you is that Saito hired me as one of your bodyguards." She smiles again checking her gun.

"One?" I stare at her.

"Mr. Saito is very serious about your safety. When he told us that we were to protect you he said 'She is the reason I am alive, and I am indebted to her. But more than that, she is a friend in need and I will not fail again.' Mr. Saito has not been so protective of someone in a long time. You are a very lucky girl, Ms. Bishop. He does not let many this close." She stands and walks to the door.

"How many?" I ask her my eyes wide.

"How many what, dear?"

"How many of you are there? Bodyguards, I mean?" She turns back to look at me.

"I can't tell you, but don't worry, you won't see us." And with that she is gone, leaving me with nothing but confusion.

Cobb stared at the phone.

"You want me to what?" He asked the businessman on the other end of the line. He knew what the man had asked, but he couldn't believe he was asking in the first place.

"I want you to do some more jobs for me, just some simple ones. The Targets will be brought to you. You will not be required to leave your children." Saito knew that was the deal breaker for Cobb. He also knew that Cobb's silence meant that he would take the job and was waiting to hear the rest to the details. Saito smiled.

"I have already assembled the team. Arthur, Eames and Yusuf have agreed, and will be arriving in a few days."

"And Ariadne?" He asked with baited breath.

"I didn't ask her, but the Architect I have arranged for the team will be there for an interview tomorrow. I trust that they will be up to your standards." Cobb nodded and then, remembering that Saito couldn't see him, gave a vocal reply.

"Fine."

"Good day, Mr. Cobb." The line clicked before finally dying to an annoying buzz.

Cobb sighed. He really wasn't in the mood to break in a new Architect.


	6. Chapter 6

(I own nothing!)

I stare at the building in front of me. This was where I was supposed to be working?

I glance back at the post-it in my hand. Yep, this was the address. But what sort of job would have me working at someone's house?

Walking up the front steps, I take a closer look. I feel like I've been here before… I ring the doorbell.

*BRIIIING!*

The door is thrown open and standing on the other side is a frazzled looking woman, her hair falling from what should have been a neat bun, and her clothes disheveled.

"Thank God you're finally here!" She grabs my arm and drags me inside. "I swear I thought the agency had forgotten to send you!" She pulls me through the house till I'm standing outside a door.

"They're in there. I'd be careful if I were you, the last one the agency sent had a mental breakdown because of them." What in the world sort of job did Saito line up for me? She pushes open the door.

"James? Phillipa? The new nanny is here." Nanny? Saito had gotten me a job as a nanny? I look at the two kids on the floor. Their backs are to me but I feel like I know from them somewhere and their names are familiar. But then they turn to look at me and I realize that I have never seen these kids before in my life.

Funny, from the back I could swear I had seen them before… Odd.

They look up at me with big blue eyes, so familiar but so different at the same time. Their eyes flit over me, taking in and examining me. I feel like a bug in a jar.

"Well I'll just leave you guys to get to know each other." I almost beg her to stay, but before I can open my mouth she has vanished into the recesses of the house.

"Hi," I try to sound friendly and not like I'm nervous, which I am very much so. "My name's Ariadne."

They blink.

"What's your names?"

They blink again. And then I feel calm for some reason and an immense need to pick them up and cuddle them. I believe my mother called them estrogen rushes, when a girl goes from nervous around kids to full mommy mode.

"Well if you won't tell me, then I'll just have to give you new ones, won't I?" I smile and can see a small flicker in their eyes.

"Let's see…" I point at the older of the two, a girl about the age of five. "I think I'll call you…Thing 1 and your brother here" I point at her brother who is about the age of two, "Thing two."

The girl giggled. "That's not our names!"

"I know they're not, but if you won't tell me your names, I'm going to have call you them." I say in a falsely resigned voice.

"You're funny."

"I try."

"I'm Phillipa and that's James." Those names…why do I feel like I know them?

"You're pretty, Awia- awiad." I look down at the boy, James according to his sister; his face is screwed up in concentration. "I can't say it." His eyes start to tear up.

"It's okay. You and Phillipa can call me Ari. Only my really super-duper special friends get to call me that. And thank you it's not every day a girl gets a compliment from such a gentleman, James." I ruffle his hair. "Tell you what, if you two clean up your room and make your beds, we'll go to the living room and build a fort."

"A fork?" James asked his eyes wide.

"A fort, James, a great big one, with secret tunnels and hidden rooms." I watch as their eyes go wider and I try not to laugh at the wonder in their eyes.

"We've never made one before." I fake gasp in shock.

"Well, we'll just have to remedy that." I place my hands on my hips. "After we clean your room." The kids groan and I laugh.

On the other end of the house the doorbell rings. Rosa opens the door, to see a young girl with blonde hair standing on the other side with a large tote bag.

"Hi, I'm Grace. I'm here for the-"

"Ah, Mr. Cobb said that you'd be here. He's in his study waiting for you. This way please." Rosa leads her to the study and knocks.

"Who is it?" A voice echoes out from behind the door.

"The girl you mentioned is here for her interview."

"I didn't know there was to be an interview."

"Well, you have to understand that with the type of work Mr. Cobb does it is important to make sure that you're up to scratch." Grace briefly wonders what she was getting into, but the door opens and she walks inside. The man shuts the door behind her and moves to take a seat behind the large oak desk, motioning for her to sit. The silence that ensues is awkward to say the least.

"My name is Grace Porter." The man merely arches an eyebrow, his icy blue eyes staring through her. "I have my résumé here with me if-"

"I don't need to see it. What I want you to do," He turns and opens a desk drawer, pulling out a pad of paper, and plucking a pen from a cup on his desk. "Is draw me a maze that takes two minutes to draw and one to solve."

Grace picks up the pen and paper and stares at it and then back at the man behind the desk.

"You start…Now." Slowly Grace drew.

"Stop." Reaching over the desk he plucks the pad from her hand and looks at it.

"What the hell is this?" He holds up the picture of a puppy.

"Well I couldn't think of a maze so I drew a puppy instead." The man closes his eyes.

"Okay, let's try this again." He hands her back the pad. "A maze this time, if you please, Ms. Porter."

And again when the two minutes are up he takes the pad and examines it. There sitting on the page next to the dog, smiling up at him, is a little kitten.

"Ms. Porter, I afraid that you will not be getting this job. Rosa, will you please show Ms. Porter out?"

"Yes, sir." Grace is led from the house and the door slammed shut behind her.

"Geez, what's his problem? And what the hell does being a nanny have to do with mazes?"

Hilda listened to the plan her boss had laid out.

"But, sir, why did you lie to Mr. Cobb?"

"At no point did I lie. I did not ask Ariadne if she would be my Architect. And indeed an Architect is going to meet Mr. Cobb for an interview today. I just didn't tell him who." Hilda rolled her eyes. Her boss liked to manipulate and surprise people way too much. "Has she left yet?"

"Yes, sir, she left thirty minutes ago. She should have been there for about two hours now, sir."

"Good. And you didn't give her any clue as to what was going on?"

"No, sir."

"Excellent. Good day, Hilda." Taking the phone from her ear she hit the end call button.

"Crazy, manipulative bastard."

"Hilda," She jumped at the sound of her boss's voice. "The end call button is the other one."

"Yes, sir."

I stare at the masterpiece before me. These kids may have never built a fort before in their lives, but they were naturals. I turn and smile at them.

"Ready to go inside?" They squeal and dive inside, as I lunge and grab one of the sheets to keep the fort from falling on them. Slowly I crawl in after them, careful not to do any damage.

Then came the sound of muffled voices, but I was distracted by the kids asking if they could eat lunch in the fort.

I smile.

"Of course."

Cobb stormed through the house. Grabbing his coat, he walked to the front door, before back tracking and looking at the structure now standing in his living room, giggling.

"Rosa? What the heck is that?" he asks. Rosa pops her head in from the laundry room.

"That is the work of your new nanny. She is great with you helli- kids. I have never seen them take to someone so fast before. Would you like to meet her?"

"Later, I have some business to attend to." Cobb turns and walks out of the house.

I pop my head out of the fort.

"Rosa, was someone just in here? I thought I heard something?"

"It was Mr. Cobb." I freeze at the name and have to remind myself that there is more than one Cobb in LA. I shrug and crawl out of the fort to make the kids lunch.

I walk to the kitchen. Banana and peanut butter sandwiches sound good.

Cobb walks back in the house.

"I forgot my keys." He says as he passes the laundry room, and tries to ignore the 'of course you did' that echoes from inside.

I pop my head out into the hallway.

"Rosa, where is the," But no one was there. "Peanut butter?" Funny I could have sworn I heard someone.

I walk in to the pantry to look for the elusive peanut butter.

Cobb stalks into the kitchen.

"Where the heck are my keys?"

"They're in your room on your dresser!" The laundry room replied.

"Oh." He walks back out of the kitchen.

I walk out of the pantry looking around the kitchen, the peanut butter jar clutched in my hand. Okay now I know I'm hearing things.

I slather the bread with peanut butter and finish my masterpieces. I walk back to the living room and climb into the fort.

"Cool! You made the sandwiches look like our fort!" I hear Phillipa squeal.

Cobb walks back through the house and out the front door, not noticing a familiar scarf lying on the living room floor.

He drives to the park and sits on what Mal had called his thinking bench. It was where he went whenever he needed to think.

Finally he pulls his phone from his pocket to give his employer a large piece of his mind.

"Hello, Mr. Cobb. I take it you're calling about the interview?"

"Yes."

"I take it, it went well?" On the other end of the line Saito smirked and rested his feet on his desk.

"Oh, that is exactly the opposite of how it went. What the heck were you thinking? This girl is unmotivated and seemed to have no clue what she was doing!"

"You didn't have a problem the last time you worked with her."

"I have never worked with this woman before in my life!"

"Mr. Cobb, if you do not mind, I need to go." And with that Saito hung up and dialed Hilda.

"Hilda, what the hell is going on?"

I pick at my food too busy telling Hilda how wonderful the kids are to even focus on eating.

"I mean they are the sweetest kids I have ever met! But the oddest thing is I feel like I know them from somewhere." I stand and hand her back the plate, still mostly full of food, and walk to my bedroom. Crawling into bed, I think about the kids and what we're going to do tomorrow.

Hilda finishes cleaning the kitchen and picks up the phone to call her boss.

"Mr. Saito, I think I found the problem." She says wondering when her life became like an old soap opera.

Saito hangs up the phone and face palms.

How the heck did a simple plan go so wrong?

He leans back in his chair sighing. It would work itself out eventually.

His phone rings again for what feels like the thousandth time.

"Hello?" His face goes from passive to aggressive in seconds. "What the hell do you mean you can't find him?"


	7. Chapter 7

(I own nothing!)

I walk around the mall not really looking but trying to find something to do. It's been one amazing week since I started watching the kids. The kids are with their grandparents today so I have the day off and nothing to do with it. Rosa was using it to look for a replacement house cleaner, since she was getting married and moving to Vegas. I pick up and examine a towel set only to replace it a moment later.

I sigh and head to the food court. I had planned to go back to the hotel but Hilda threw me out saying that I needed to get out more and not sit around bored out of my mind, so now I'm walking around bored out of my mind. My side complains reminding me that my bruises have not healed yet. My mind goes back to three days ago when the kids had accidentally seen my bruises.

_(Flashback)_

"_Ari, what are those?" I turn away from the soup on the stove to look at James. He's sitting next to his sister at the counter, pointing at something on my shirt. I look down and all the color leaves my face. My shirt had ridden up and my blue and purple bruises are highlighted against my white shirt._

"_They're bruises, James." I try to satisfy their curiosity without telling them facts about the world they do not need to know anytime soon._

"_How did you get them?" _

_I mentally curse children's natural curiosity. "I… um…" I also curse my inability to think of lies on the move._

"_Did a bad man hurt you?" _

_I look at Phillipa. "What? Why would you say that?"_

"_One of my friends from school had bruises like that. Then one day the police came and took her far away. They said that a bad man hurt her. Did a bad man hurt you?" Her eyes fill with tears and my heart aches._

"_Yes, Phillipa, a bad man hurt me." I wipe the tears off her soft cheeks. "But he's not going to hurt me anymore, okay?" She nods and sniffs. I pull both of them into my arms._

"_Ari?" she whispers in my hair._

"_Yes, Phillipa?" I whisper back._

"_Lunch is on fire."_

_(End Flashback)_

I wander into the food court and another memory springs to mind. Saito had called me last night and made me promise to not talk to anyone except Hilda and the people necessary for my job. I had asked if this had anything to do with Jake, but the only response I got was a curt 'I'll handle it' and a dial tone.

I pick up a peach milkshake and move to sit at a table. Then I see them. Sitting not five feet from me are two men I thought I would never see again munching on French-fries and deep in conversation.

I want to walk up and scare the crap out of them or just to say hi, but Saito's orders were clear, no unnecessary contact. So I turn to leave Arthur and Cobb to their plotting, but I run head first into a janitor's cart and fall flat on my ass. Needless to say this draws the attention of the two men I am supposed to avoid, and countless others who are now staring at me.

"Ariadne?" I watch as Cobb stands and starts to make his way over, but I scramble to my feet and bolt out of there as fast as I can, and I used to run track.

I can hear the sound of footsteps charging after me but I keep running. Take a day off she said. Relax she said. What part of running away from your old boss is either of those?

I turn into Victoria's Secret and hide in one of the changing rooms. There are pounding footsteps, the sound of a curtain being pulled back, a girly scream that didn't come from me, and the sound of hastily retreating footsteps.

I peak my head out to see if the coast is clear. Seeing neither the point man nor the extractor, I walk out of the store. Heading for one of the exits, not the closest one since they would expect me to try and get out of there as fast as possible. So I walk slowly, stop and window shop a little.

It's about thirty minutes later that I reach the exit. I slow as to not look anxious to leave the mall since the last thing I need is to be stopped by the mall security and attract even more attention. I push open the door and I'm home free. I pick up the pace since it will be dark soon, but as I begin to walk down the sidewalk a voice stops me. It's warped and I can barely make it out but I know it. It's Arthur's, but what catches my attention is what he's saying. My name.

"Yeah, it was her, I'm positive. We ran into her at the mall and she ran from us. I don't know why she ran or why she's even in the states. I should know why in a few hours, but I'm worried." I hate that he's worried.

"Sorry, but I just saw something that I need to take care of." Then it hits me as I hear a click. The reason Arthur's voice was distorted is because he is on the other end of a cell phone, the click is said cell phone being shut, and whoever is on the end closest to me is standing. Right. Behind. Me.

I whip around to face them but before I can move an arm wraps around me and a hand clamps over my mouth. I wince as I hear the sound of handcuffs and the bite of the cold metal against my wrists. I open my mouth to scream around their hand or at least to bite them but a cloth is forced in my mouth and tied around the back of my head along with a blindfold.

I'm forced into a car and buckled in. The engine purrs to life.

We drive for about a half hour, and finally the car stops. The man opens the door and pulls me out, throwing me over his shoulder, knocking my blindfold off. I recognize the god-awful pink and floral print Hawaiian shirt.

"Eames, put me down!" I screech as he jostles me.

"No can do, darling, someone wants to see you." I twist myself so I can see past his torso and see where in the world he's taking me.

Why in the world is he taking me to my work?

He opens the door and walks to the living room before dropping me on the couch.

"Look what I found." I look around the familiar room only now Arthur and Cobb are there staring at me.

Cobb.

Then it hits me like a ton of bricks.

Cobb's kids' names where James and Phillipa, I had only ever seen them from behind before which is why I didn't recognize them, so that means that this is Cobb's house and that means…Holy shit.

I'm Cobb's nanny.

"Ariadne, are you okay?" I look at Arthur realizing that he was asking me something. "Why did you run from Cobb and me?"

"Why did you chase me?" I didn't know if Saito had told them and since I didn't want them involved in the first place, I deflect his question.

"Because you ran!" He snaps, annoyed that I am avoiding his questions.

"That doesn't tell me why you chased me." I say not looking him in the eye.

"Well this is going nowhere. Cobb, where's your loo?"

"Down the hall, it's the second door on your right." I slap a hand over my mouth, realizing that I wasn't supposed to know that.

"How did you know that?" Cobb looks at me intently.

"Your dream?" The look on his face informs me that he doesn't believe me in the least. But I'm saved by the study door opening revealing Miles at the same time that Rosa walks down the stairs.

"Ariadne?" Miles doesn't seem surprised to see me.

"Thank God you're here. They won't go to bed. I have tried everything!" Rosa grabs my arm and drags me to the foot of the stairs. "Kids, look who's here!" James and Phillipa fly down the stairs and, spotting me, yank me away from Rosa and proceed to drag me into the recesses of the house. I can faintly hear Rosa and Cobb in the living room.

"Mr. Cobb? Why were you yelling at the nanny?"

"The nanny?" And then I'm too far away to hear anything else.

Three board games, two fights, six bedtime stories, twelve tuck in's, and one time out later, James and Phillipa are fast asleep in their beds and I am back on the couch being stared at by everyone present.

"You're my nanny?" I nod.

"It appears that way."

"Well that explains a lot." Cobb says sighing.

"What do you mean?"

"I was interviewing a potential Architect the same day that Rosa was interviewing the new nanny. We must have gotten you and the other nanny confused. It would explain why she kept drawing animals."

"Well… would you like for me to work as your Architect?"

"I would, but I think that my kids would be upset if they lost you."

"I never said that I was quitting as your nanny. I was offering to add it to the list of things I already do for you. And if you don't mind, I need to be headed home." I wave goodbye and then freeze as an important fact springs to the front of my mind.

"Someone needs to give me a ride home since the buses don't run this time of night and someone," I glare at Eames, "kidnapped me."

"I'll give you a ride back, Ariadne. It'll give you a chance to talk." Miles offers smiling and we leave.

The car ride is filled with talk and laughter. I forgot how much I missed him. But something is wrong. He wants to ask me something but never does.

We reach the hotel and I move to get out of the car but he grabs my hand.

"Ariadne, please, promise me you'll be safe this time." And then he's gone, nothing more than two red dots vanishing into the dark distance.

I walk into the hotel with one thought racing around my brain.

'What had he meant?'


	8. Chapter 8

(I own nothing!)

I blink awake and roll over placing my feet on the floor. A wet floor.

"Hilda, why the heck is the floor wet?" I call walking out of my room, trying to find a dry place to stand. The old woman was holding a bucket and a hairdryer trying in vain to save even some of the carpet.

"One of the morons on the floor below backed up one of the pipes causing it to burst and flood three whole floors! And when I get my hands on him Oh! He's going to regret it." She snarls glaring at the floor like it was the floors fault that it was soaking, that or she was thinking about what she was to do to the poor sap that drenched her floor.

Walking to work in wet shoes is high on the list of 'things I hate the most'. By the time I reach Cobb's house my blisters have blisters that have blisters and I'm freezing. I happily take off my shoes and flop on the couch for five seconds before standing and heading to the kitchen to make my charges breakfast.

I had learned upon arrival that breakfast in this house was Pop tarts or cereal make of high fructose corn syrup and sugar, neither of which is what a growing child needs by any account.

Reaching into the fridge I pull out the eggs, fruit, orange juice, and milk, and then raid the pantry for the rest of the ingredients.

I pull my hair up into a messy bun and begin to make that pancake batter. As the pancakes cook, I slice the fruit; make cocoa-butter, and whisking the eggs into submission, pour them into a pan for scrambled eggs.

As the food cooks I find just enough time, between setting the table and making sure that nothing burns, to holler up the stairs.

"Kids, Breakfast is ready!" Flip that pancakes and can't help but smile as I hear their footsteps as they run to the bathroom to wash their hands and the thundering of their feet on the stairs as they race down them. And then there they are, Phillipa in her 'Disney Princess' PJs and James in his 'Cars'.

They hug me before crawling up into their chairs.

"Who wants scrambled eggs?" I smile lifting up the pan of eggy goodness.

"Me!"

"Me!"

"Me."

I turn to see Cobb standing in the door way, in a t-shirt and sleep pants his hair in disarray.

"I didn't know you were here." I smile and pull out another place setting, before finish divvying up the meal.

Cobb watches that kids before turning to look at me as I take my seat.

"I can never get the kids to eat anything except cereal for breakfast. How did you do it?" He asks.

"Well for one, I know that nowhere in the pancake recipe is the word 'flambé'." I smile as Cobb groans.

"They told you about that, did they?" I smile and the kids giggle.

The rest of breakfast is filled with jokes and laughter mostly at the expense of Cobb and his cooking skills. I can't remember the last time I felt so peaceful and happy.

The kids leave to go play outside and Cobb insists in helping me wash the dishes.

"So… Arthur, Yusuf, and Eames are going to be here in a few hours to discuss the plan." I glance at him over the soap suds.

"You trust them in your home?" He hands me a dish.

"Of course." He looks at me funny as he hands me a glass. "Well maybe not so much Eames as the others."

"I meant for both Arthur and Eames to be in your house at the same time."

"Well that's what the sedatives in the cabinet are for." He smiles and picks up a towel.

"Very funny, Cobb, but stick to your day job." I roll my eyes as I put away the silverware. I watch as he reaches in to the top cabinet and pulls out a glass vile and hands it to me.

"I wasn't joking." I stare at the vile in my hands.

"Remind me never to make you angry." I say staring slightly horrified at the bottle in my hand. He just laughs and puts the bottle away.

He suddenly turns towards ma and raises his hand. I flinch.

"You have egg in your hair." I look to see a piece of egg on his hand.

"Oh." I turn back to the dishes but I can still feel his eyes on me.

Arthur and Eames arrive two hours later in the middle of an argument.

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Yes it was! You had the damn map." Arthur snaps taking off his coat and hanging it up.

"Ari, darling how are you?"

"Better since no one tried to kidnap me today." I smile and he winces.

"At least Dom's happy to see me."

"Let's just get down to business shall we?" Cobb says sidestepping Eames' question. Eames' pouts for the next hour before finally letting it go.

The next six hours are spent planning and they end up eating dinner with us, which Miles drops in for.

Phillipa and James laughed at Arthur and Eames antic while Dom and I shake our heads and Miles and Yusuf outright ignore them.

"We should be getting back to the hotel." Eames says leaning back in his chair, a toothpick wedged securely between his teeth. "Arthur missed his nap and you know how he gets when he misses his nap." Arthur goes to retort but realizing he would be making Eames's point closes his mouth. I laugh.

"Well I should be going soon too. Someone flooded the hotel I'm staying at so I need to find a new hotel."

"You can stay here!" Phillipa squealed. "It'll be like a sleep over! Can she Daddy? Pleeeeease!" She and James proceeded to give Cobb puppy eyes.

"Well it's okay with me but Ari might have other plans." Three pairs of blue eyes turn to look at me.

"Well…" I begin to falter under the gaze of Cobb and his minis.

"Please stay Ari!" James says waving his arms. "You have to stay!"

*SPLASH*

I look down at the milk that was in James' glass that now decorates the front of my shirt.

"Oops." James says his eyes going wide. "Sorry, Ari."

"It's okay. I'm just going to wash up. Cobb could you lend me a shirt? I don't want to sleep in a wet shirt."

"You're staying?" I hear James and Phillipa squeal from down the hall.

"Yes!" I call back, I can hear their arguing as to who's room I'm sleeping in as I close the door.

I chuckle at their antics as I pull off my milk stained shirt.

I examine the bruises on my chest. They had finally turned purple fully and would be healing fast now.

There was a knock on the door and Cobb opens the door.

"Ari I brought you a clean shir-" His eyes scan my body and I freeze. "Ari? What the hell are those?"

I gulp.

"Really large hickeys?" His eyes darken.

"Ariadne…" Could this get any worse.

"What's taking you two so long?" Eames and Arthur pop their heads around the corner.

"Holy shit, Ariadne what happened to you?" Eames says his eyes going wide at the bruises.

"That's what I would like to know." Cobb says. I pull on the shirt and let them usher me out of the bathroom and into the living room.

"Is there something wrong, Daddy?" I turn to see James and Phillipa in their PJ's, toothpaste smearing the edges of their mouths.

"Ari's just not feeling well."

"Did the bad man hurt her again?" I close my eyes, resigned. This wasn't happening.

"What do you mean, Phillipa? Who hurt her?"

"A bad man hit her and gave her those marks, but she got away from him, she said he wasn't going to hurt her anymore. He didn't hurt her again did he?" Phillipa's eyes were filling with tears as were James. I swoop down and pick them up.

"I'm fine, see? The bad man didn't hurt me. Now let's get you two to bed." I carry them down the hall and tuck them in. I move to leave but Phillipa grabs my hand.

"Will you be here when we wake up?" My mind thinks back to Mal and all the time that Cobb had to be away from them.

"I will, I promise."

"Pinky Promise?" She holds out her pinky a serious look on her face but also the look of someone who's scared of losing one more person in their life.

I take her pinky in mine.

"I Pinky Promise." She smiles and closes her eyes. I lean over and kiss her forehead.

"Sweet dreams."

I walk down the hall back to the living room. Cobb and the rest of them are sitting in a half circle of chairs with one seat left for me, except for Miles who is leaning against the door frame of the kitchen.

I take my seat between Arthur and Cobb, and breathing in deep I begin to tell them everything. I tell them about how I met Jake, about the first time he held my hand to the first time he hit me, about how he would curse at me and then swear he loved me.

I watch as my teams faces turn grim and their knuckles white. I can feel rage pour off of them, it's not aimed at me but I feel it wrap around me like a shield protecting me from all around.

Finally the story ends and silence falls.

"How the hell did you not know?" I flinch and look at Cobb; only he isn't looking at me he's looking at Miles. "You saw her every day and you didn't notice?" His voice is hard. He's looking for someone else to blame because he blames himself. I want to tell him it's not his fault but I can't find my voice, it having fled my body after recanting my history.

"I did know." My head jerks up. What? He knew?

"Then why the hell didn't you do something?" His voice is dangerous and low, little more than a growl.

"I did. I'm the one who told Saito."

(A/N: I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to post. Writers block is a bitch.)


	9. Chapter 9

(I own nothing!)

My eyes burst open as two small bodies land on my previously sleeping form.

"Ouf!" I shoot up in bed as the two aforementioned bodies jump on the bed squealing.

"ARI! Ari! Guess what? Daddy said that we can go on a picnic today. Come on, Ari, get up!"

"Oh, trust me, I'm up." I glance at the clock. The glaring red letters yelled at me that the time is way too early to be up. "You guys found the need to tell me this at 5:00 in the morning?"

"Oh, then you're lucky. They woke me up to ask if we could go at 4:00." I look up to see a grumpy looking Cobb holding a blanket around his shoulders, watching his feral children maul me.

"Kids, we can't go for the picnic till the sun is out. So why don't you go back to sleep for the next three or four hours and then we'll leave, okay?" I ask trying to not beg.

"But we're not tired." They say their blue eyes bright.

"Well I am. Tell you what, if you want you can sleep here with me." I pull back the covers and they squirm under them, nestling up to me.

"Okay," Phillipa says curling up closer. "But only if Daddy stays, too." Cobb shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Guys, I don't think that Ari would like to share her bed with… more than two people."

"I don't mind." I pull back the covers as the mini-Cobbs lay on the charm. I mouth behind them.

'I would share my bed with an elephant if it would mean two minutes more sleep.' He smiles and crawls in the bed, sandwiching the kids between us.

'Thank you.' I mouth.

'You're welcome.' He mouths back.

I close my eyes, content in the warm bed as sleep enfolds me.

I open my eyes to feel a stifling warmth engulfing me. I look down to see that James and Phillipa have both plastered themselves to me, with Dom plastered to the other side of them, an arm thrown over all of us.

I carefully peel them off of me and slip out of bed. Sliding on my robe and slippers that Dom had lent me, I shuffle my way to the kitchen.

I pull out the fixings for biscuits and gravy as the memories of last night dance a ballet in my head.

_Flashback_

"_You were the one who told Saito?" I ask staring at the man in front of me._

"_Yes, I was the one who told him."_

"_But how did you know?"_

"_I didn't at first. But then you began to change, you wore scarves and long sleeve shirts, you were quiet in class, and whenever your phone went off you acted as if someone set off a bomb. I wasn't sure until the day you were taken to the hospital."_

"_He sent you to the hospital?" Eames voice is a growl, as rage turns his laughing eyes into the eyes of someone you wouldn't want to run into in a mall in broad daylight. _

_I nod and lift up my shirt to reveal the scar on the lower part of my stomach. It is white and jagged looking._

"_Jake gave it to me the one time I burned dinner. He stabbed me with a kitchen knife and told me not to do it again." I look at my hands not needing to look at them to know the looks on their faces._

"_I think we can save any more questions till morning. Ari, your room is down the hall to the right, toiletries and towels are in a cabinet in the bathroom." Cobb says helping me to my feet. I look at my hand wrapped in his big one, suddenly feeling small and safe. I walk down the hall to my room only stopping in the bathroom to brush my teeth and grab a quick shower._

_As I massage the shampoo into my scalp I try to hear what is happening in the living room. There weren't any engine sounds, so no one left yet._

_Drying off, I walk into my room and pick up the clothes laid out on the bed. They belong to Cobb and are about four times my size. But the pants have drawstrings and the t-shirt is warm, smelling like after shave and a hint of cologne. I tug on the clothing and climb into bed. I'm asleep before I even hit the pillow._

_End Flashback._

I jump as a pair of arms wrap around me, plucking the spoon I was stirring with from my hand. I turn to see Dom swipe his finger over it for a taste.

"I could smack you for that." I snap.

"Why do you think I took the wooden spoon from you?"

I smack him on the shoulder. "Are the kids up yet?" I ask holding out my hand for my spoon. He returns it and I smack him with it.

"Ow! You already hit me once, what was that one for?"

"That one was just because I felt like it." I smile and turn back to the gravy.

"And in answer to the question you asked before your brutal assault on me, no, the kids are fast asleep." Then awkward silence rides in on a wave of unease. "You okay?" I don't look at him.

"I'm fine." He moves towards me and I back up. I can't let him touch me, because if he does all of my strength will vanish. "Don't."

"I'm never going to hurt you, you know that right?"

"I know." And I did know. This man would never hurt me. Ever. And that's why I stop running and let him wrap his arms around me. I didn't shatter or break down. I just let go. I let everything I had dammed up come out.

"You're safe." I cry.

"You almost done in there?" I call through the door.

After breakfast and the great biscuit war, we, which means me, packed a lunch and headed to the park for an all-day picnic. And after six games of you-can't-catch-me, four freeze-tags in which Dom cheated, two Frisbee-throwing competitions, one upchuck and Dom's knee almost giving out, I sat down to serve lunch only to be informed by James that he needs to 'pee pee.' So I leave Dom to dole out the food and I take James to the bathroom.

Finally James emerges.

"Did you wash your hands?" And back into the bathroom he trots. I groan, thunking my head against the wall as my stomach grows. James walks out and taking my hand we start heading back to the blanket.

"Ari, look at that!" James points to a statue of a lion. Letting go of my hand, he runs over to it, climbing till he's sitting on its back. "Look at me!" I smile.

"Come on, James. The blanket is just over there." I motion to the blanket not twenty feet away. I wave and Dom waves back.

I turn back to see James running towards me smiling, but what I see running towards him chills my blood. It's a big dog and its hackles are up.

"James!" I scream and race towards him. James stops and looks to see what's behind him. He screams. I can see the dog clearer now, its mouth open, fangs glistening. I reach James just before the dog. Scooping him up in my arms, I turn my back, shielding James from the dog.

I scream as the dog sinks his fangs into my arm, its claws cutting at me to get to James. I can feel the flesh give way under the dog's teeth. The dog lets go of my arm before lunging at me again knocking me to the ground. I roll over, covering James with my body as the dog tears at my back. I can hear James sobbing into my chest. I tuck myself around him tighter, shielding him from the beast. I wince as the claws leave bloody welts on my back.

This is it, I'm dead.

Then the dog is gone and I can hear people shouting. I feel something or someone trying to pull me off James. I pull away, not letting them near him.

"Ari! It's me. The dog's gone." I hear Dom's voice in my ear. I sit up, glancing around warily for the dog.

"An ambulance is on its way." I don't recognize the voice. All of my attention is on James. I pull him away from me long enough to check him for wounds.

I can hear people shouting as the ambulance arrives, but I pay them no heed. Hands try to pull me towards the ambulance but I fight them.

"No, treat him first." I push James into their hands.

"The kid's fine."

I smile. "Goo-" But I never got to finish as darkness claims me.


	10. Chapter 10

(I own nothing!)

I groan, my body aching. My head is pounding as my back and arm throb.

"Guys, I think she's waking up!" That had to be Eames.

"Eames, be quiet, we're in a hospital!" Yep, definitely Eames and Arthur, I'd know that bickering anywhere.

So I am in a hospital... twenty bucks says I'm wearing a paper dress. I slit my eyes open and nearly pee myself jerking away from Eames who had stuck his face in mine.

"See, I told you she was awake!" Arthur looks as if he's about to kill him.

"How are you feeling?"

I glance at Arthur. "What the hell are you wearing?" I ask eyeing his get-up. It is weird seeing him in jeans and a t-shirt.

"My causal clothes. Now back on topic, how are you feeling?"

"Like a dog tried to kill me. How is James?" I ask, worry evident in my voice.

"See for yourself." He points and I look down to see James curled up on the bed next to me, his head resting on my stomach. "He hasn't left your side since the surgery. None of them have."

I look to my other side to find that Phillipa is curled up next to me. But what catches my attention is the man in the chair with 5 o'clock stubble covering his tired face. I smile as I watch his chest rise and fall in slumber.

"How long was I out?" I whisper, stroking the kids' heads.

"It's about midnight so… twelve hours."

I nod. "I'm starving. Could you bring me something to eat?"

"You missed dinner." My face falls as my stomach growls angrily at the news. "But I did manage to sneak this." He pulls out a turkey sandwich, an apple and a pudding cup.

"Thank you." I take them from him and tuck into the food. "So when can I blow this joint?" I ask eating my last bite of sandwich and moving on to the apple.

"You're fine for the most part. The dog bite tore part of one of the tendons so you'll need physical therapy for that, the scratches on your back are minor, so you should be able to leave about noon the day after tomorrow. But for now you need to rest." I wrap my arms around the kids, snuggling down into the sheets.

I blink awake in the bright sunlight. The first thing I notice is that James and Phillipa aren't there, neither are Eames and Arthur.

"They went to get breakfast." I look towards the window, startled to see Cobb staring out of it.

"You realize that Eames is going to feed them the most sugar-packed breakfast he can buy, right?" I joke.

"Ari…" I sigh, that was his 'the world is on his shoulders' voice.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I should have gone with you." His jaw is clenched.

"You couldn't have known." He turns to look at me, fury and sadness mixed on his face. He walks over to me, his eyes locked on mine. I lean into his touch as his hand cups my face.

"I thought I'd lost you." He face is close to mine. Then he kisses me and I can't think. His lips are warm and hard against mine. I open to him letting him deepen the kiss. I moan as his arms pull me closer to him.

"Ahem." We pull apart to see Arthur, a grinning Eames and two squealing kids.

I smile when I see that they come bearing two trays piled high with food that I am probably not supposed to eat.

We eat in a chaos of questions. James and Phillipa shooting off twenty questions a breath, and Arthur and Eames arguing about whether or not Eames knew 'it'. It being that Cobb and I have feelings for each other.

After much arguing and spilled food, I get the kids to settle down enough to watch a movie. Granted 'Pocahontas' isn't the most captivating movie, especially when Arthur is pointing out the historical inaccuracies while Eames throws peanuts at him, and the actual kids are snuggled up to my sides munching on popcorn and arguing whether romantic scenes are 'aw- able or just gross.

The movie ends and I snuggle down between the kids.

"It is not!"

"It is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is Not!"

"Is Too!"

"IS NOT!"

"IS TOO!"

"ENOUGH!" Cobb roars. "Even my kids act better than you!" He says glaring at Eames and Arthur. I remove my hands from the sleeping kids' ears.

"Cobb, it's not worth it. Not even the end of the world could stop Eames and Arthur from arguing." I roll my eyes. "You two should probably get going since visitor hours are over in a few minutes."

"Darling, since when have I ever let rules determine what I do?"

"Since me." Eames jumps at the sound of the voice of my nurse, Riley.

"How are you feeling?" He asks checking my stats.

"Fine." I watch as Eames and Arthur are shuffled out.

"Why do Cobb and the munchkins get to stay?"

"Husbands are allowed to stay the night, and I don't think you could pry those kids off of her with a crowbar." I looked at Cobb, my eyebrows raised.

"Yes, it's nice to have my 'husband' stay here with me." I say staring at Cobb. I could hear Eames poorly resisting the urge to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Riley asks.

"Oh, Mr. Eames still thinks it's funny that a man like Cobb got a girl like Ari." Arthur said with a straight face while gouging his elbow into Eames' side.

"Really? Why is that?"

"We met at a seminar on ancient Greek architecture in Paris. He and I argued for hours on whether a study should be upstairs or downstairs, it was very much a love/hate relationship. We saw each other at a few other events, then one day he asked me out and well, we ended up here." I thread my fingers through Cobb's and give him a bullshit completely-in-love look, as Eames nearly hurts himself laughing.

"Well, I'll leave you to get some sleep." Riley ushers Eames and Arthur out the door.

"Husband?" I ask.

"They wouldn't let me in to see you otherwise." I nod and, still holding his hand, drift off to sleep.

"How did this happen?" I awaken to see the team arguing none too quietly.

"I don't know, Cobb." Saito says.

"Someone must have had a cell phone." Eames says. "And recorded it."

"The important thing is that she's safe." Arthur comments leaning against the wall.

"Guys, I think she's awake." Yusuf walks over to my bed and smiles at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Like you guys are hiding something from me. What's up?" I ask, eyeing them suspiciously.

"That." I look at the TV Eames is pointing at. It's a video of me being attacked by the dog, the reporter is saying something about heroism but my blood runs cold. "You're a national star now."

"So what does this mean?" I ask, fear creeping up my spine.

"It means that you are in a great deal more danger than before." Miles says walking in.


	11. Chapter 11

(I own nothing!)

Let me just say that house arrest sucks swamp water. Which is what I am under since the video of me being attacked was shown on the five o'clock news for every psycho ex-boyfriend of mine to see. So now I am pretty much grounded.

"Can I at least go get the mail?" I whine from my spot on the couch, peeking from under the pillow on my head at Dom.

"No." I glare at the back of Dom's head, willing his hair to catch on fire. I have been living with them for the last ten days, and had nothing to do for the last five, and no one has yet to try and hurt me.

I had gotten out of the hospital Christmas Eve and had woken up to a breakfast in bed Christmas day, followed by presents, board games, a game of sneak ice cubes down each other's backs, and snuggling under a blanket watching classic Christmas movies. Dom and I carried the kids to bed and after tucking them in, had a quick, okay not so quick, Christmas kiss and headed to bed.

The next four days flew by as New Year's came and went. Then the kids went back to school, Dom went back to work (I was banned from helping with the extraction, since I was only needed for the layout) and suddenly I had nothing to do all day.

The first day I worked on more blueprints, the second day I had read all the books in Dom's study, the third I watched TV all day, the fourth day I made paper airplanes and threw them at things creating my own air battles, the fifth I spent staring at a spot on the wall waiting for someone to get home.

Today is the sixth day and I am not about to spend it cooped up in this house.

"Come on. It's only to the mail box and back! That's barely twenty feet from the porch!" He turns to me and levels a look at me that says that not only is this not up for debate, but it is not to be brought up again.

I settle back into the couch and glare at the ceiling.

"I know you hate being stuck here, but we all agreed that this would be best." I roll my eyes.

"You mean you and everyone else decided." I mutter.

"Ari…" His phone rings, he picks it up without looking away from me. "Cobb. Uh, huh. Yeah, okay, I can do that. No, she's still mad." I stick my tongue out at him. He hangs up.

"Ari, I have to go out for a bit." He stands and grabs his coat, keys, scarf and hat. "Stay inside and don't open the door. There are a few bills on the counter for you to order in if you don't feel like cooking." I don't look at him, choosing to glare at the wall instead.

"Ari, I know you're angry but it's just for a little while longer, okay? Saito said that his men are going to have Jake in custody by the end of the week." I don't move. I hear him sigh and walk out the door shutting it softly behind him.

I glance at the closed door. I know it's not Dom's fault that I'm stuck in here. The boys are just trying to look out for me, even if they piss me off in the process.

I stand and head to the kitchen. The pizza place takes forever to deliver, but it is the best pizza in town. The kids had slumber parties tonight so it was going to be a quiet evening, again.

Ordering a large pizza with black olives, pepperoni and extra cheese, I walk back over to the couch and watch a House marathon.

*Ding dong!*

I glance at the clock.

"Pizza's here early." I mutter grabbing the cash off the counter. Opening the door I'm met by a pair of blue eyes I wasn't expecting to see anytime soon.

"James? I thought you were at Alex's slumber party?"

"I-" He looks at the floor and looks back up at me. "I missed you." Leaning down, I scoop him up into my arms.

"I missed you too." Kissing him on the head, I walk back inside. I set him down on the couch and head into the kitchen. Pulling out the chocolate ice cream, our favorite, I dish us up some. Carrying them back into the living room, I plop down next to James.

"Here, just don't tell your father." I hand him an ice cream. He nods and digs in.

"Ari?"

"Mm hm?" I hum around a mouthful of frozen chocolate creamy goodness.

"Are you going to marry Daddy?" You know how it hurts when you get soda up your nose? Well it ain't got nothing on ice cream up the nose.

After a few seconds of gagging and nose blowing I finally am able to answer.

"What?" I ask staring into the big blue eyes identical to his fathers.

"Are you going to marry Daddy?"

"I don't really know, James. It's a big decision and your father hasn't even asked yet. Your father and I haven't been dating long either, so we don't even know if it's going to work out yet."

"You're not going to leave us, are you?" I pull him to me, wrapping him in my arms.

"Of course not, James."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now we had better eat this ice cream before it turns to sludge." We curl up together and get halfway through High School Musical, singing along horrendously off-key, when the doorbell rings.

"That will be dinner." Standing, I walk towards the door as I pull out the money. I open it.

"How much do I owe you?" I ask not glancing up from counting out the money.

"Quite a bit, bitch." My head snaps up as my stomach turns to knots. "Hello, Ariadne." He smirks.

"Jake…"


	12. Chapter 12

(I own nothing!)

I slam the door and race back into the living room. I can hear Jake beating the door.

"Open the door, Ari, I just want to talk." Yeah, right, that was why he had a gun with him.

"James!" I race over to the couch.

"Ari? What's going on?" I grab him and race with him to the back door.

"James, I need you to listen to me. I need you to run to Ms. Shelton's house as fast as you can. Don't stop for anyone or anything? Okay?" He nods, his face full of fear. "When you get , call 911 and then call your father."

"What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you, I promise. Now go." I hear a gunshot and the front door bangs open.

"Honey, I'm home!" A shiver runs down my spine.

"Go!" I shove James out the door and he takes off.

Racing through the kitchen, I turn into the hall just in time to dodge a bullet. The vase behind me shatters like my sense of security. I tear down the hallway, avoiding two more bullets. He only had two, maybe three, left.

Slamming and locking the door to the bedroom closed, I barely have time to get to the bathroom as Jake kicks down the door. I feel the wind move as a gunshot whizzes past my ear.

I try to close the bathroom door but Jake slams against it jarring it halfway open. Bracing my legs against the vanity, I push, and slowly the door begins to close.

"Why are you running? You know you can't escape so why don't you come back home nice and quiet like and I won't hurt you too badly." He sticks his arm through the door, stopping it from closing.

"Go to hell!" I shout at him, grabbing Dom's straight razor I wing it as hard as I can at Jake's arm. He screams in pain, pulling his hand away. I push as hard as I can against the door. It slams shut and I lock it. I push a cabinet in front of the door.

It rattles on its hinges as Jake tries to break it down.

Climbing into the bathtub, I scramble to the only window. It's high up and I have to stand on the tub edge to reach. I push against the window willing the thing to open as Jake shoots the lock. The window sticks at an inch. Now there is only a cabinet blocking Jake's path.

"Please, please, please open!" With a mighty creak the window opens.

I pull myself up to the window. I'm most of the way out when I hear wood splinter and a hand grabs my ankle.

"NO!" I kick at him blindly with my other foot as I'm dragged back inside. My foot hits something hard and I feel flesh and cartilage give way under it. Scrambling to get out the window, I make it halfway out before the hands grab me again, this time around the waist. I grab the sill trying to stop my backward movement. My nails crack and bleed as they search for purchase on the smooth wood.

A fist slams into my gut. I let go of the sill and drop into the tub as the window is closed and the latch clicks shut.

"This is a nice house you have here. You couldn't wait to shack up with another guy could you?" I watch as Jake points the gun at my head. "I mean what do you do that some guy would welcome you into his home?"

"I take care of his kids."

Jake laughs. "So you're the live-in whore? Does his wife know?" Jake asks leaning in and running the barrel down the side of my face. "Answer me, whore."

"His wife is dead. And what I do is none of your business." I snarl.

"And that, my dear, is where you're wrong. You see it is my business because you are my girl. And, whore or not, I'm not about to let you leave me for some decrepit old widower and his snot-nosed heathens."

"I am not your girl, not anymore." I growl at him. He grins and punches me across the face. I feel blood pool in my mouth, the taste of iron coating my tongue and teeth. I spit it out onto his shoes.

"Well, that is a problem." He stands and smiles. "Because if I can't have you, well, let's just say I'm a sore loser." His finger squeezes the trigger and I squeeze my eyes shut.

"Good bye, Honey."

'Click'

I open my eyes to see Jake looking at the gun critically.

"Guess I ran out of bullets. Oh well, there is more than one way to skin a cat." He swings the gun at my head, I feel a burst of pain.

And then I feel nothing at all.


	13. Chapter 13

(I own nothing!)

Cobb races out of his car toward his house, the rest of the team close behind. The police are there surrounding the house, yellow tape over the front door and what looks like blood staining the front steps.

"JAMES!" Cobb yells looking for his son, the memory of the phone call playing in a loop in his mind.

"_Daddy, you need to come home." The tiny voice echoed through the line._

"_James, what are you doing home? I thought you were at Alex's sleepover?" Dom asked flipping through some files._

"_I was but I came home." His son's voice is scared._

"_James, what's wrong?" He sits up straighter in his seat, gaining the attention of the rest of his team._

"_He took her away."_

"_Who took who away, James?"_

"_The Bad man, he took Ari away. She's gone, Daddy." Dom's blood runs cold and he drops the phone. It clatters to the ground. He can still hear his son's voice coming from the tiny speaker._

"_Daddy?"_

"_Daddy!"_

"DADDY!"

Cobb jerks out of his trance as James and Phillipa come barreling at him. He wraps them in his arms before turning his attention to the police officer walking up behind them.

"You their father?"

"Yes. What happened?" His voice is tight at he looks at the people moving through his house, looking for traces of his missing friend.

"Shot out the lock on the front door. Chased her down the hall to the bathroom. From what we can tell she barricaded the door and tried to escape out the window. He knocked her out and dragged her to his car and stuffed her in the trunk. We have an APB out on his car but he's probably dumped it by now. According to your son Ms. Bishop sent him for help while she stayed behind to keep the intruder busy. It's probably the only reason he's alive."

"What do you mean?"

"Jake Clearwater, the man that took her? He's tied to six other murders, all of them women. It's his MO, young petite brunettes, pale skin and brown eyes." The woman's face is grim.

"Thank you, officer." Cobb says, she nods and he heads back over to the rest of the team.

"What are we going to do?" Arthur asks.

"Call Miles. Tell him Yusuf will be dropping them off at his house." Yusuf nods and takes the kids from Cobb.

"Daddy? Are you going to bring Ari back?" James asks, his blue eyes filled with tears.

"Yes, James, I'm going to bring her back." He stands as Yusuf walks them over to his car.

"Arthur, find out whatever you can about this guy. Eames, see if any of your connections have heard of him. I'm going to go talk to Saito."

'Ari, please be okay.' He thinks as he climbs into his car and speeds off.

I choke on the gag in my mouth; it tastes of piss and oil. Yuck.

The car lurches and I'm sent sailing into the lid of the trunk. I moan in pain as the dulling aching in my head comes back in full force. I try not to puke as the gash on my head reopens and the smell of iron churns my stomach.

I tug at the rope binding my hands. Nope, no good. Then my mind registered that something is gripped in my right hand. I feel around it with my fingers.

It's Dom's straight razor.

My mind goes back to the day that I had first seen it.

"_What in the world are you doing?" I ask staring at Dom as he runs the blade up his throat._

"_Shaving." He says washing the shaving cream off of it before shaving the last strip of skin._

"_With a knife? Are you crazy? Right, dumb question." I mutter, watching as the blade slides over his skin._

"_It's a straight razor. The kids gave it to me last year for Christmas. I've used it ever since."_

"_So you have a death wish?" I ask, eyeing the knife._

"_It's no more dangerous than anything else I do." He says setting down the razor and picking up a towel._

"_So you do have a death wish." I pick up the razor and examine it as Cobb wipes off the last of the shaving cream._

"_Very funny." He says rolling his eyes._

"_I thought so." I set down the razor and look at him, grinning._

"_Do you need anything other than to annoy me while I shave?" He asks setting down the towel and arching an eyebrow at me._

"_I just came up to tell you breakfast will be ready in ten." I turn to walk away._

"_Ari?" He calls after me._

"_Yeah, Cobb?" I turn back to face him._

"_Thank you." He smiles._

"_You're welcome." I smile and walk away._

Tears fill my eyes as the thought that I might never see my friends again hits me.

Arthur, Eames, Yusuf, Saito, James, Phillipa, and Dom's faces race through my brain.

No.

I am going to get out of here. I'm going to hear Arthur and Eames bicker again. I'm going to listen to Yusuf tell me about chemical formulas that I can't make heads or tails of. I'm going to watch Saito bother everyone while they try to do their job. I'm going to play with James and Phillipa and I'm going to tell Dom just how much I love him.

Flipping open the straight razor, I begin to cut at the binding on my hands.

I am not going down without a fight.


	14. Chapter 14

(I own nothing!)

My hands are bleeding from where they have been cut by the razor or rubbed raw by the rope. The last rope snaps and I rub my wrists to regain feeling in them.

At least the car was stopped. Jake had parked the car six hours ago.

Jake had moved me from one car to another about eight hours ago. He had blindfolded me before pulling me out of the trunk but I had caught a glimpse of his watch through the blindfold.

Eight-thirty.

Sixteen hours since I was taken.

Leaning down I start on the rope tying my legs.

Cobb paces the room.

No news. They had checked everywhere, called everyone they could think of, and nothing. She was gone and there was no way left to find her.

He stops pacing and looks out the window.

'First Mal and now Ari… No, I lost Mal but I am not going to lose Ari.' Standing up, he walks to the bathroom. It is still a mess from the attack.

He steps into the bathtub.

'Crinkle'

He looks down. There, half under a splinter of wood, is a piece of paper. Leaning down, he picks it up.

It's a hotel receipt for a Holiday Inn a few towns over.

Racing out of the bathroom, he climbs into his car.

It is a long shot, but it is their only hope.

"Hold on, Ari, I'm coming."

I kick the taillight. I had read that if you ever get locked in a trunk to kick out the taillight and stick your arm through, waving for help. Unfortunately this taillight won't budge.

"Shit." The trunk is running out of air, a few more hours and I will be unconscious, and then…

Well, that isn't going to happen. I have kids to take care of and a boyfriend to kiss when I get out of here. Pulling back my leg, I kick as hard as I can.

*Crunch*

That wasn't the car. I curse a blue streak clutching my foot. Then the crunching sound comes again and this time it isn't my foot.

Someone is outside the car.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I scream through the lid.

"Sorry, love, just me." My blood runs cold. "Keep screaming like that and I'm afraid I'll have to cut out your tongue. But don't worry; I'll give it a special spot in my collection." I flinch as he bangs on the lid.

"You see, you're special. No one else has ever gotten away from me before. So the fact that you made it this long without me finding you is proof that you are very, very special. So you know what I'm going to do?" He coos at me. I kick the lid, probably hurting my foot more than anything else, but it makes me feel better to hear his flinch.

"I'm going to start with those pretty brown doe eyes. I'm going to cut them out slowly so I don't damage them. Then I'm going to cut off all of your pretty hair. Do you know what I'm going to do next?" I can hear him breathe as his voice draws closer to the lid.

"I'm going to rip out your teeth and cut out your tongue. Maybe I'll even take your ears. Then I'll kill you slowly, so I can record your screams. But don't worry; I won't waste the rest of your body. I'll send it to those kids you love so much. I wonder what the look on that man's face will be when he and his brats open the box to find my work of art. Do you think he'll cry? Maybe I'll add his daughter to my collection. I've never done a kid before. Do you think she'll scream for her father, before I rip her tongue out?"

My blood boils and I beat my fists against the lid.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER, YOU BASTARD!" I scream my voice going hoarse.

"Temper, temper now, my dear. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

"GO TO HELL! I SWEAR IF YOU TOUCH HER I'LL KILL YOU!"

*BANG!*

I jump as a bullet whizzes past my ear.

Didn't your mother ever tell you not to make promises you can't keep." Two more shots are fired, one grazing my arm. He leans over to look at me through a bullet hole. "Don't tell me what to do again, you worthless whore. Or I'll have to teach you some manners." I jerk in the trunk to avoid the next hail of bullets coming through the lid.

Well at least I wouldn't die of suffocation; I'd die of lead poisoning.

*BANG*

I flinch to avoid the next bullet.

But it never hits. Dead silence fills the air.

Then I hear the key in the lock and the lid creak open. Jake stands there grinning at me, the gun hanging lazily at his side, before he falls to the ground half his face blown off.

Then I jerk away as blood and brain matter splatter everywhere.

Then two strong arms are pulling me out of the trunk.

"Ari?" I can feel someone's hands pulling my hair from my face, but my eyes are still on the prone form of my nightmare. "Ari, look at me." The hands turn my head and tears fill my eyes.

"Dom."

He pulls me into a hug. I can feel the gun on his hip, the one that ended Jake's life.

'Why is he shaking?' Then I realize that I'm the one who's shaking.

Then everything seems muted, time moving so slowly it makes me dizzy. Dom pulls me to his car as Eames and Arthur drag off the body. Yusuf checks me over when we reach the car.

Then I'm sitting in the car and Dom's driving. He looks over at me constantly. I can't bring myself to remind him to focus on the road.

Then we're at his house, James and Phillipa are running towards me, and everything slams back into reality.

I drop to my knees and pull them to me.

It is over.

It is finally over.

I was home at last.


End file.
